Audience of Two
by JohnnySpades
Summary: Luna thinks back on her life and her choices


Last day for Caroluna week. I had so much fun with these prompts, and I hope you enjoyed the stories.

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The car shut off with its same old tired 'ka-chunk'. Luna sat there for a moment, the silence broken only by the sound of the engine winding down. It had been a long day at work. The code she had written for a new website going up soon had bugs in it. Bugs that took her the whole day to work through, and she still wasn't done.

She put her hands on the steering wheel and looked down at her wedding ring. All those years ago, she had made that promise to Carol. She would be a rocker, and they would travel the world together. Yet here she sat, eyes tired from twelve hour days staring at screens for people who didn't appreciate the work she put in. Dressed up in a button up shirt and tie. She felt like she had let her younger self down.

At 15 Luna Loud had dreamed of nothing more than being on stage. She lived for those moments; the crowds, the hum of the amps, the sweat on her brow from the lights. Now twenty years later, she had settled down. She got married, had a beautiful daughter, their own little house. But that ache of not being what she felt she was destined to be always lingered.

She got out of the car and loosened her tie as she walked through the door. The sound of guitar plucking coming to hear ears. Her daughter had taken to music even more than she had at her age. The ten-year-old spent every moment she could with that guitar. Plucking away, learning chord progressions and licks.

She smiled and went up the stairs to her daughter's room, knocking on the door frame before peaking in.

"Hey rock star, how's the practice going?" she said, the guitar picking stopping for a moment.

"Ugh, it's driving me crazy!" Phoenix said, covering her face with her hands. Her long blonde hair falling over her shoulder and onto the neck of her hand-me-down instrument.

"I've been trying to figure out simple songs so that I had something fun to play with my friends but…" She looked down at the age worn six string and sighed. Luna smiled and took the guitar off her lap.

"Some songs seem simple when you hear them, but they are actually really hard to learn. Music is weird like that. You can hear a song like Thunderstruck, and it sounds so simple!" Phoenix watched her mother as she held the guitar like an old friend.

"But then you see it played and you think 'how could I ever play like that?'" She started to strum the chords to Led Zeppelin's 'Stairway to Heaven.'

"Exactly! I just can't wrap my head around how they move like that…" Phoenix said, head drooping. Luna smiled down at her daughter, thinking about all those years ago when she had been just like her. Frustrated at not being as good as her idols. She kneeled down and lifted her daughter's head to meet her eyes.

"I used to feel that way too." She said softly to her daughter.

"But you're so good!" Phoenix said with mild surprise.

"I am, but I didn't start that way. Music, especially guitar, is a skill that is earned through BST." Phoenix rolled her eyes.

"I know; blood, sweat, and tears." She sniffled, a tear managing to break free. Luna wiped it off and stood back up.

"It's frustrating, trust me, I know. You've put your heart and soul into music and it feels like you've… like… come to a standstill." Luna ran her fingers through Phoenix's hair. "It sucks right now," she started strumming again, "but sucking is the first step towards not sucking."

Phoenix sniffled and smiled up at her mother, pulling a sleeve down to her hand so she could wipe her tears. Carol came in the room with a wooden spoon in hand.

"Young lady, what have I said about Stairway in the house?" Carol looked over to see Luna with guitar in hand. Her face flushed a bit, as much as she had loved Luna's individual style, something about her in a tie and button up shirt always made her heart skip.

"Hey babe, I didn't hear you come in." Luna smiled and started picking random notes on the guitar.

"No Stairway in the house huh?" She said looking back to her daughter. Phoenix giggled, seeing the light in Luna's eyes that said she was up to something.

"Phoenix, we talked about this, I'm very disappointed in you young lady." Luna said in a faux authoritative tone.

"I'm sorry, mom," she said, trying her best not to laugh as she put on her best 'I'm sorry' face.

"If I've told you once I've told you a thousand times. Your mother only likes one song." She started strumming chords, looking Carol in the eye with her trademark wicked grin. The grin that had won her heart all those years ago when they were just lovesick teenagers. Luna started to sing softly, so only the other two could hear her.

"Wise, Men, Say… Only fools, rush, in." Carol covered her mouth, face heated from the blush working its way down her neck.

"Luna… not in front of Phoenix." She said trying to avert her gaze. Luna kept going though.

"But I, can't, help, falling in love, with, you." Luna walked over and gave her a quick peck on the cheek. Carol giggled and looked into those brown eyes. It was like they were teenagers all over again. She had been scared when they first got married. Would their love fade? Would there come a time when she would see Luna and not see the love of her life, but someone she just lived with?

But years kept coming and going, summer after winter after summer. That love didn't fade, and this was why. Luna had that way about her, of taking her back to those lazy teenage years when they would sit on the roof of Luna's parent's house, playing songs while she sat in Carol's lap. Daydreaming of days just like this. Days when they would have a family, a house…

Carol leaned in and gave her a kiss. A kiss that had so much behind it. It wasn't just love; it was a thank you for years of being together. A promise to never let that love fade. She ran her fingers through Luna's short cropped hair, breaking the kiss and pressing her forehead to her paramour's.

"God, I love you Luna." Luna chuckled.

"I love you too, babe. But, we kinda have an audience." Carol looked over at her daughter who was watching intently. Carol laughed too.

"Oh well." She was about to kiss Luna again when they heard a loud grumble from Luna's stomach. She blushed and Phoenix fell back on the bed laughing.

"Sounds like someone is ready for dinner." She said taking the guitar from Luna

"Go clean up, it'll be ready by time you get done with your shower." Luna nodded before looking back to her daughter and giving her a wink.

"You're doing great kiddo. Just keep practicing." Luna walked out the door, giving a squeak as Carol reached over and gave her butt a little pinch as she walked by.

"That goes for you too Phoenix, get washed up and ready for dinner." She handed the girl the guitar back and gave her a kiss on the forehead. The girl nodded and put the guitar away before walking out towards the kitchen to wash her hands.

Luna stood in the shower, letting warm water cascade down her body. She hadn't achieved star status like she had dreamed of. She wasn't playing for sold out theaters to millions of people. But this crowd, her audience of two, was more than enough.

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That does it for this for Caroluna week! If you guys have any feedback feel free to leave it.


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